Proliferation of mobile wireless devices, including cellular phones, smart phones, and even tablet PCs, and their use throughout the course of the day, has profoundly affected our lives. Mobile wireless technologies enable users to access a variety of on-line and otherwise connected users and information resources. Such ubiquitous connectivity keeps us within a couple keystrokes/screen touches of an unlimited supply of information, entertainment and human contacts/resources.
However, the substantial benefits provided by mobile wireless technologies are tempered, to a certain degree, by a growing concern that vehicle operators are utilizing, under inappropriate circumstances, certain services/functionality delivered by mobile wireless devices. A recognized example of such inappropriate use is “texting while driving.” In such situations, the driver momentarily turns attention away from the driving task to read or prepare a text message. There are several other circumstances where a device user may be distracted by mobile wireless device services/functionality while operating a vehicle.
Driver distraction, in particular distraction caused by use of functionality/services (e.g., text messaging) provided by mobile wireless devices with voice, text, and/or data capability, is suspected in a significant number of vehicle crashes and collisions. Public service messages have been created and broadcast in campaigns seeking to raise public awareness of the dangers of utilizing mobile wireless device functionality/service requiring substantial driver attention (e.g., texting) while driving.
To address the danger of driver distraction, as mobile wireless device functionality continues to grow, various government entities have sought to enact laws limiting use of mobile wireless devices (e.g., hands-free use only) while driving. While enacting such laws is commendable, a threat of potentially receiving a ticket is likely insufficient to prevent a substantial number of drivers from disregarding such laws—in the same way that fines do not prevent speeding by a substantial number of drivers. The threat of a fine alone is likely insufficient to deter use of text messaging or other potentially distracting mobile wireless device services by users while driving a vehicle.
In addition to enacting laws, mobile wireless device makers and service providers have attempted to build in voluntarily activated service limiting measures on mobile wireless devices. Such voluntary/opt-in measures include: user-configurable application settings that disable text and data services/functionality, text-to-voice and voice-to-text translators that permit drivers to communicate without visually accessing the device interface, setting the device to airplane mode, etc. However, such voluntary/opt-in measures do not fully address driver distraction. For example, voice-to-text/text-to-voice translator functionality, which alleviates a need to enter text by hand or read a device display while carrying on a discussion with another via a mobile wireless device, has also come under scrutiny after having been shown in studies to also contribute to driver distraction and a reduce responsiveness to driving events requiring a driver to suddenly stop or perform an evasive maneuver.